I felt the rains down in Africa – oh wait…

For those of you who haven’t used Google Maps to find Mali yet, go take a look. Take note of how the Sahara Desert comes to a drawling stop just north of Bamako. This is the reason it’s so damn hot and dry all year long.

But like any desert country there is always a season of rain and it is a welcomed relief from the heat. The rainy season is even more welcomed by farmers to help feed their families for a few months of the year and gain self sufficiency. This year the rains are late, and insufficient. There is still a green transformation taking place, as plants and trees resiliently battle to grow, but farmers are a little tense.

Climate change is happening. I see it everyday in the faces of the farmers we work with. The looks of stress and hunched shoulders as they best ever plants that are undersized and less productive. I see it in patches of land that continue to crack under the dry desert sun despite the short rainfalls.

So this is my plea to you all do your rain dances, pray to your gods or goddesses, pray to the god you believe in, or send your positive vibes our way for more rains, high yields, and happy farmers.